


Ember Spark

by DefendTheUndefended



Category: One Piece
Genre: Ace is younger than Luffy, Baby Ace, F/F, F/M, Luffy Raises Ace, M/M, Protective Monkey D. Luffy, good brothers, luffy and ace take care of each other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-03
Updated: 2019-10-03
Packaged: 2020-11-23 00:47:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20883407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DefendTheUndefended/pseuds/DefendTheUndefended
Summary: When fate shifts and one small thing is changed a butterfly effect is put into place. When Ace is born seven years after Luffy, things change. And at 18 Luffy sets sail with an extra person tagging along. After all no one will separate them. And those who try will bring the wrath of the Strawhats upon them. They will not be separated. Come hell or high water.





	Ember Spark

**Author's Note:**

> This is a bit different than normal. You see a bunch of stories where Ace takes a younger Luffy with him when he sets sail, or they set sail together, but nothing like this. So hope you enjoy, and please keep an open mind. Sabo still ‘dies’ but I won’t go over it because that is just painful for me. So this is all that will be touched on in their childhood. Hope you like it. Also check out Stormy1x2 story Ten Years Difference it is amazing, and helped spark inspiration for this story. Thank you!!

Luffy sucked on his lips as he stared. 

He wasn’t sure how to react. He had been living with the Mountain Bandits for two years, utterly bored and lonely. 

He had often wandered around in the forest getting stronger so he wouldn’t be eaten by the other animals in the forest. But he was alone. He hated the bandits, so he stayed away from them. 

Unfortunately leaving him alone. 

But now he wasn’t alone! Gramps had brung another boy to the bandits!...But...But he was so little. 

Luffy didn’t know a human could get that little. 

Gramps had said his name was Ace and that he was two years old. And that Luffy was his new brother. 

He loved the idea of someone else to be around, but, Ace was so tiny. 

After Gramps had left the bandits had turned a tables on its side and slid it against the wall, before plopping Ace down behind it. 

Luffy had stared. 

And then a while later, Luffy heard it. The whimpers. Luffy had gotten up curiously before hefting himself up to pear over the edge. 

The little baby was rubbing his eyes as he sat in the corner, and quietly crying. 

Luffy’s eyes had widened a bit before he pushed himself over the table, landing in a haphazard pile on the other side with a thump that made the baby look up. 

Luffy had quickly untangled himself before darting over and leaning on his hands and knees to see the little boy’s face better. The little baby looked startled and he still sniffles every few seconds. 

“Hi! I’m Luffy. Don’t be sad! I’m here now so you won’t be alone anymore.” He smiled wide and a laugh bubbled up in his throat. 

Ace blinked at him before a one syllable word came out of him mouth. “Ah.” He lifted his hand and set it on Luffy’s head. 

Luffy laughed. 

He may be little and smaller than Luffy but Ace was the only other person here. There was no one else. 

Luffy would protect him. Ace would be his friend. 

—(xXx)—

It took Luffy a week to notice that Ace didn’t eat meat like he did. Didn’t really eat much of the food he did. 

He had thought Ace was starving. Because there was nothing else there to eat. 

Only after watching Dadan take several of the food and mash them up into a disgusting looking mush and give it to Ace, who seemed to grimace before digging in did he realize that no Ace wasn’t starving. 

It was also at that point that he realized Ace didn’t like what he was eating. 

So Luffy decided to do something about it. 

Next time Dadan made the mush he watched very closely while he gorged himself on his own food. 

Dadan seemed to grab a variety of everything, mushed it, then threw it all in a bowl. 

The next time Luffy started doing it before he ate his own food. He grabbed a little of everything, mushed it up, and separated it in the bowl. 

When he had gone over to Ace and given it to him, the smile that Luffy had started to be able to make Ace show just by being around him appeared on Ace’s face, before the small baby looked down at the bowl he was usually fed out of. 

Luffy watched him as Ace titled his head before hesitantly tasting it. Once a bit of it was in the little one’s mouth a grin appeared on his face and the baby started to eat with a gusto and smile he never had before. 

Luffy’s own smile stretched on his face and he laughed. 

Ace’s happiness while eating, which was important, was totally worth the small bowl of rice as the only food he was able to grab that night. 

Luffy glanced over at Ace who, noticing Luffy’s attention, smiled wide with a small tilt of his head. 

Yea. Totally worth it. 

—(xXx)—

Ace smelled. 

Luffy didn’t know what to do about it. 

Ace also started to have patches on his skin covered in dirt and his hair looked really shiny. Usually when Luffy got like that he used a puddle to wash it off but Ace hadn’t gone outside and there were no puddles inside. 

So how was Ace supposed to get the dirt off? 

An idea popped into Luffy’s head and he jumped up. He ran to the little kitchen area in Dadan’s hut and grabbed a rag off the table. 

He then ran outside, hearing Ace’s confused babbling behind him, and kept running until he got to the river. Dadan didn’t like Luffy using the water the Bandits hauled in buckets from the river. So this would have to work. 

He ran back, careful not to drop the rag, before going behind Ace’s table again. 

The baby’s face lit up at seeing Luffy again and Luffy smiled back before holding out the rag to Ace, who looked at it confused. 

“It’s for the dirt. To wash it off.” Luffy said as he set it in the baby’s lap. Ace it picked it up and looked at Luffy, tilting his head. 

Maybe he needed a demonstration? “Like this.” Luffy spoke as he rubbed his hand as if it was a rag on his face. 

Ace blinked before bringing his hand up and copying Luffy by rubbing it on his own face. Luffy stopped. “Uh...” He looked down at the rag and picked it up again before putting it in Ace’s hand and making it connect to Ace’s cheek. 

Ace blinked again before giggling as Luffy made the rag move up and down on his cheek. 

Luffy smiled and retreated his hand as he watched Ace continue to rub his own cheek. 

Luffy then helped Ace after each patch of dirt was cleaned off, to clean the next. 

Luffy smiled at Ace as the little one giggled. 

Dadan found them both asleep curled close to each other still behind the table. 

She rolled her eyes exasperatedly before going to catch some sleep. 

—(xXx)—

“I’m putting you in charge of Ace.” Luffy stared at Dadan as she spoke. For once paying attention. She was talking about Ace after all. 

“What?” Luffy was confused though. He wouldn’t mind being in charge of Ace, but he honestly didn’t know what to do. 

Dadan didn’t seem to hear him, or just ignored him. “Of course I’ll have to supervise for a day or two. Plus you’ll need to be told of how to take care of a two year old though you kind of do it already..” 

She wasn’t lying really. Luffy had taken to feeding Ace at every meal, helping him clean himself when he was dirty, and constantly played with him. Though the kid still had to learn a few more things. 

“Huh?” Came Luffy’s oh so intelligent response. 

Dadan sighed. She had a long way to go. 

—(xXx)—

Later on that night Luffy laid on his stomach as he stared at Ace, who played with a rag and a stick. Smiling occasionally over at him. 

“It takes a lot to take of you.” Luffy mumbled, but he then sat up and crawled over to Ace sitting beside him as Ace smiled at him.

Luffy smiled back. “But if it’s for Ace I don’t mind.” He hugged the little one to him, who made a sound of surprise and disapproval and tried to squirm away. “You’re my little brother, after all.” Gramps had said so. 

Ace looked up at Luffy’s smiling face and stopped squirming before sinking into Luffy’s side. 

Yes. Ace was Luffy’s brother. Luffy would make sure Ace knew that forever. And he would take care of his little brother. 

—(xXx)—

Ace was three and Luffy found out that Ace would grow too. Just like him. 

It was awesome. 

What wasn’t awesome was that Ace hadn’t spoke yet. 

Luffy had taken Ace out into the woods not too far away from Dadan’s and started pointing at everything he could and telling Ace what it all was. Ace held onto his hand, listening to Luffy with a calm and blank face on. 

Luffy pulled the three year old into a clearing and had plopped down in front of Ace facing the little one. Frustrated and a little hopeless. 

Dadan said it was bad if Ace wouldn’t speak. She said it could hurt Ace. He didn’t want Ace hurt. 

Ace sat down in front of him and titled his head a little to be able to see his older brother’s slightly downturned face. 

“I don’t get it Ace. Why won’t you talk? I tried everything I could. I don’t want you to be hurt.” Luffy spoke and sighed. 

Ace blinked up at his brother’s face, before moving. Slowly crawling into Luffy’s lap and looking straight into Luffy’s eyes, who watched curious as to what the younger was doing. 

Ace raised his hands and placed one on each of Luffy’s cheeks and opened his mouth. Luffy’s eyes widened a little. “‘uffy.” Ace nodded to him like he was telling Luffy what his name was, just like Luffy had been doing with everything they had come across for the past two hours. 

Ace then let go of one of his cheeks and grabbed Luffy’s hand instead, raising it to Ace’s chest. “Bro’dur.” 

Luffy stared for a moment before smiling so wide he started to laugh. He felt a prickling at the edge of his eyes, but he ignored it. Ace made a slightly confused and worried sound at Luffy’s tears. Why was his big brother crying when he was laughing? 

Ace let go of Luffy’s cheek and poked the other where his hand was instead. “Sad?” 

Luffy looked at Ace with a huge smile, “No I’m not sad Ace! I’m happy! You said my name! You called me your brother!”

Ace smiled a little and nodded. “Bro’dur!” 

Luffy copies him. Nodding and saying the one word that meant the most to him at the moment. “Brother.” 

—(xXx)—

Luffy learned quickly that Ace loved being outside. 

After he learned that he barely made Ace stay inside. 

When Ace was close to turning four Luffy started showing him how to hunt and protect himself in the woods. 

An eleven year old Luffy and a four year old Ace soon dominated the forest. They still couldn’t defeat the king beasts but every other creature was fair game. 

A couple months ago Ace and Luffy had decided to wander into the forest as far as they could. They didn’t regret it because they found a new place to explore. The Gray Terminal. 

They started going there everyday. Getting more used to the hike every time. 

Then they met Sabo. He looked to be a little older than Luffy but was actually the same age. 

Luffy had latched into him, even if Ace was a little skeptic, and jealous even if that was quickly gotten over when Sabo started to become both of their friends. 

Growing up around Luffy had made Ace want to be a Pirate. 

So both ravens attached themselves to Sabo when they found out Sabo wanted to be a pirate as well. 

They started saving a pirate fund, from pickpocketing, which they soon found out Ace was pretty good at But Luffy was terrible. They had gotten into one or two situations because of him. 

—(xXx)—

Ace had wandered off on his own. Something was nagging at him. Garp had visited and told him about who his father was. 

Don’t get him wrong he loved Luffy and he knew Luffy loved him, the rubber idiot told him so several times a day, but it kept nagging at him in the back of his mind, what it meant to be Gol D. Roger’s son. 

So he left on his own and went to the Gray Terminal and he asked the men there. Someone who could tell him, since neither Sabo nor Luffy would be able to. 

He had asked the simple question that ‘What if Gol D. Roger had a son?’ 

They had laughed. Inadvertently called him a monster, a demon, someone who should never have been born. 

He had felt so angry. More angry than he had ever felt before. So he punched them. He fought until he knocked them all out and ran. 

He ran and ran and ran. He didn’t stop until he crashed into someone. Glancing up in surprise for a moment before seeing it was Sabo, and burying his face into Sabo’s chest. 

“Hey. Hey little guy what wrong? We’ve been looking for you.” Came the blonde’s voice and he clutched Sabo’s clothes tighter. His throat and eyes were burning. 

Sabo felt a wetness on his chest and the quiet tremors running through Ace’s body. He was so confused and worried but he wrapped his arms around the four year old tightly and let the younger clutch onto him. 

After a moment had passed and Ace had started to calm a little, he spoke up. “Ace what’s wrong? What’s got you so upset?”

Ace didn’t lift his head, but his words came out in a slightly choked and rushed stream. “Is it good I was born? Should I have never have been born?” 

Sabo’s breath left his lungs and he struggled to make them inhale. His eyes went wide. “Yes of course it’s good!! What made you think it wouldn’t be!?” 

Ace sniffles and curled further into Sabo. “Garp said I’m a bad man’s son. I wondered what it meant to be his son so I asked someone. They said I should never have been. They called me a demon! I’m a demon!” He was starting to become a little hysterical. Sabo wrapped his arms around the little boy tighter, with wide eyes and an open mouth. 

He honestly didn’t know what to do or say. He loved the little one, but how could he convince him of something the boy thought with so much conviction was the truth? 

There was a snap from a twig and Sabo’s eyes darted up to the source. 

Luffy was standing there rigid, his face shadowed with his ever-present Strawhat, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. 

Luffy slowly looked up and met Sabo’s eyes. Sabo was briefly startled at the righteous blinding hot anger in those eyes, but he understood. He was equally as angry. Angry at the ones who dared to call their youngest in their little group a demon. Even if it was a possibility that they did it unknowingly, they were still at fault. 

But Ace needed them. Sabo’s eyes forcefully softened and he glanced down at the crying four year old in his arms before looking back up at Luffy meaningly. 

Luffy understood and his eyes softened to worry before he crossed the distance between them. Once he had sat beside Sabo the two worked the small boy into Luffy’s lap. Ace let them move him and buried his face into his big brother’s neck. 

Luffy leaned his cheek against Ace’s head and started rocking back and forth, almost unconsciously. “Ace we love you. We love that you were born. We love every part of you. Your Ace not whoever you dad is, or your Mom, or Gramps, or Dadan, or the other bandits, or Sabo, or me. You’re Ace and we love Ace. If you’re a demon then I am too because Ace grew up here and hasn’t done anything else, just like me, Sabo would be too, we are all the same. Besides we’d love you if you were a demon, a bandit, a pirate, a marine, a noble, a tiger, a bear, a dog, a cat, a baby, or an adult. We love you. No matter who you are or what you are.” 

Sabo watched Luffy murmur words of comfort to their youngest. Ace had slowly started to unclench his hands from Luffy’s clothes holding them instead in a loose grip. The tremors running through Ace’s frame started to slow, and his breathing started to become less erratic. 

Sabo decided to speak up. “Yea. Luffy’s right. You Ace we love you regardless of where you came from.”

Ace’s breath hitched and he looked up at his brother and best friend. 

His arms wrapped around Luffy’s neck, who squeezed him back as hard as he could. Desperate to show that he loved the boy in his lap. 

Ace let go before leaning over and dragging his best friend into another hug as well. Sabo closed his eyes and rested his head on Ace’s, before he wrapped one arm around the boy and squeezed him back as well. 

Ace let go and leaned his side back onto Luffy’s chest, facing Sabo. 

“Thank you two. I love you two so much.”

Luffy and Sabo smiled. 

“We love you too Ace.” 

—(xXx)—

Ace sat in Luffy’s lap as they waited for Sabo, who had dragged them from their beds at dawn, to the clearing they were currently sitting in, before running off. Only telling them to wait there and that he’d be back. 

Luffy had plopped down onto the ground leaning against a stump. Ace had rubbed his eyes before curling up in Luffy’s lap and closing his eyes. 

Luffy wrapped his arms around the small boy before leaning back to watch the sky slowly turn lighter and the stars slowly disappear with the night. 

It wasn’t long before Luffy heard footsteps and turned to watch Sabo reenter the clearing. Three red stacked cups in one hand and a bottle in the other. Sabo looked at their positions before smiling and continuing to walk forward. Setting the cups and bottle down on the stump, and starting to set them up. 

Luffy turned to Ace and shook him awake, which he earned a grumble for, and stood up once Ace didn’t look like he’d fall over his feet because he was tired, Luffy looked to Sabo curiously. 

Sabo started speaking before he could ask. “I heard some pirates say once that if a bottle of sake is shared between each other, they become brothers.” Sabo looked up at the two who where watching him with wide eyes. “That..is..if you want all of us to be brothers-“

Luffy cut him off. “COOL! This is awesome we can all be brothers forever no matter where we are!” He whirled around to face the other he already called a little brother. “Right Ace!” 

Ace had a small smile and nodded slightly. 

All three of them smiled and Sabo poured the sake into the three cups. They each took one and held it up. “To Brothers!” 

They downed it in one gulp then proceeded to gag in disgust before Luffy started to laugh. Ace and Sabo soon joining him. 

They were brothers now.

—(xXx)—

After Sabo was taken from them Luffy and Ace decided something. 

They decided to never leave each other behind. 

So when Luffy turned 17 Ace hatched a plan. While Luffy was saying goodbye to everyone, the 10 year old hid on the little boat they were sending him off in. 

Luffy knew what he was doing but if they didn’t want anyone to stop them he knew he had to act like he didn’t. 

So they set off. Once they had gotten far enough away from Dawn for them to see the boy if he came out, Luffy turned to the rest of the boat. “Ace?” 

A second later a head full of raven hair popped out from its hiding spot. They looked at each other for a moment before they both broke out into a smile. They did it. 

Luffy held his arms out and Ace rolled his eyes, before complying to what his big brother wanted. Setting himself in Luffy’s lap he let himself savor the moment, just for a while, as he felt Luffy’s arms settle around him. 

Ace looked up to the older raven, who was still smiling. “Luffy, what do you plan on doing first?” 

Luffy blinked and hummed. “I don’t know! But I need crew mates! A navigator, a swordsman, a cook, a doctor, oh and a musician too! After we find them we’ll go to the Grand Line!”

Ace felt a small smile pull at the corner of his lips, before it fell. “Luffy-“ he was cut off as they heard something cutting the water at a fast speeding and heading straight in their direction. 

They both looked over to see the lord of the cost speeding toward them an angry snarl on its face. 

Luffy growled with a smile and gently placed his little brother on the deck before standing himself, Ace picked up his pipe but stopped once his brother held a hand lit in front of him. “I got it.”

Luffy punched his fist into his palm before shouting at the beast. “I have some unfinished business with you!!” The beast roared as it leapt out of the water and towards the little dinghy. Luffy pulled back a fist, his arm stretching, before letting it rebound and punch the sea beast, making its jaw snap shut and to be sent flying across the surface of the water. Luffy watched for a second before raising his arms above his head in a cheer. 

Ace turned his attention to his older brother and smirked. 

He had a feeling their new adventure was going to be anything, but boring. And like nothing they had done before. 

—(xXx)—

Ace stared at his brother. 

It was official, of course he already knew this, but that’s besides the point, Luffy was an idiot. 

—(xXx)—

“What should we do with it?” 

“Let’s drink it!”

“But Alvida-“

“Won’t know if we don’t tell her. Right Coby.”

Ace’s ear twitched. ‘Voices?’

“R-Right. I-I didn’t s-see anything.”

“Good.”

“Well come on. Let’s celebrate.”

Ace looked up, their was a bang on top of the lid and he tightened his grip on his pole. It barely fit inside the barrel, but he was grateful he had it. 

Thinking back to what had happened in the past day he wanted to bang his head against the barrel wall, but refrained as to not give away his hiding spot. Though that might not matter soon. 

Luffy had been so stupid and had somehow sailed them straight into a whirlpool. Luffy hadn’t been bothered by it much until Ace started yelling. Reminding Luffy that the devil fruit meant he couldn’t swim, and that Ace would drown if he ended up in the whirlpool. 

Luffy had scrambled then. He had taken one of the barrels they had and shoved Ace inside who was protesting and yelling the whole time, not wanting to leave Luffy alone when they were about to be forced down a whirlpool. 

Luffy had crammed the lid shut with something and no amount of kicking it from the inside could make it budge. 

He had screamed. Terrified. “Luffy what about you?! You’ll sink in the water!!”

Luffy had laughed his usual laugh and knocked on the side of the barrel. Ace had immediately pressed up against the side. “It’ll be okay. Promise Ace.” 

Ace had trusted him. Though he was worried sick. He had braced himself with his pipe that Luffy had stuffed in with him against the barrel walls and hung on as he felt the barrel tumble and roll. 

And now he was on some ship and stuck inside the barrel until someone opened it. 

He grit his teeth. 

He jolted as a sudden kick was given to the barrel wall, startled. He tightened his grip on the pipe and shifted until he was crouched on the balls of his feet instead of his knees. 

He listened to the noises and voices on the other side of the wooden barriers, and readied himself to attack when the chance arose. 

He stopped and blinked though as he heard wood shattering, before breaking into a smile when a familiar voice sounded a second later. “Yosh! That was a good nap!!” Well damn, Maybe Luffy had been right. “Who are you.”

“Who the hell are you?! Why would someone be coming out of a sake barrel!?”

“Whatever!” There was a sound of skin hitting skin before several thumps. And a second later it stopped, before he heard Luffy speak again. “Hey have you seen Ace?”

“Ace?”

Ace perked up and loosened his hold on his pole before rotating his body around to kick the lid of the barrel. “LUFFY!! LUFFY IM HERE GET ME OUT OF HERE!”

“Ah! Ace!” He heard footsteps come closer. “Hold on a second Ace. I have to get something to cut the ropes.” 

Ace huffed before crossing his arms leaning back against the barrel wall. Ropes. Luffy tied the barrel lid down with ropes. Ugh....Must have been a lot of ropes. 

A couple seconds later the lid started to rattle and the lid finally came off. Luffy smiled at him, full teeth and all. Ace huffed, but his face lost the anger on it. Ace grunted before grabbing his pole and leaping out. Landing on the ground easily. He looked around. 

There was three unconscious guys laying on the ground near a smashed barrel, and a boy with glasses and pink hair who looked a bit older than him, staring with wide eyes. 

Sudden their was a yell from above sounding like, “Don’t be slacking off!” And Luffy grabbed him and the other boy and jumped out a widow. 

Ace grunted before swinging himself out of his brother’s arms onto his back. Hanging on with his arms around Luffy’s neck. Luffy’s arm snakes around his back to hold Ace up, though he didn’t need the help, with he held the other boy with pink hair under his arm. 

When Luffy stopped he just let the other boy fall the the forest floor and giggled. Ace rolled his eyes. “W-who are you people?” 

Luffy just laughed so Ace deemed it necessary to answer for them. “I’m Ace and this is my stupid big brother Luffy.”

Coby cringed with a half fake smile. “Ah. My names Coby. I’m a caretaker for that ship.”

Ace smirked. Luffy wasn’t listening at all, he was buy picking his nose and looking around. “Hey! Do you have a ship, we can have? Ours got caught in a whirlpool-“

Ace slanted his eyes at his brother. “You mean you got us caught in it.”

“Eh. Besides the point.”

Coby has a stunned look on his face and he yelled. “A WHIRLPOOL!?! How are you even alive!?!” 

Ace looked over his brother’s shoulder at Coby and drugged his shoulders with the dullest look on his face as Luffy spoke. “Yea that whirlpool was scary,” the effect was totally ruined by the comical look on Luffy’s face as he crossed his arms and snorted like a bull with a pout. “So do ya!?”

“U-uh yea. Come with me.”

A second later Coby lead them to a small area with a little boat made of scrap and broken pieces of wood. Luffy’s shoulders slumped, even as he still had his arm under Ace, who decided to take a free ride, as he and Ace gaped a little in dull disbelief. 

Ace raised an eyebrow and looked down at Coby, shifting to nock the end of his pipe lightly against Coby’s head. “A coffin.”

Coby winced and rubbed the area Ace had popped before smiling sheepishly. “It’s the boat I built secretly over the past two years.”

Luffy snapped his head over to look at the pink haired boy while Ace’s brow furrowed. “2 years? And you don’t want it anymore?”

Ace was confused. “Why would you give this thing up so easily?”

Coby glanced at both of their faces before he turned away and placed his hands on the side of the boat. Smiling painfully. “I don’t want it anymore. I was gonna use it to run away, but I’m too much of a coward to. Even if I had something I wanted to do, I’m just going to be a caretaker my whole life.”

Luffy even the blunt person he was shifted slightly. Ace kept quiet and decided to watch the show go down. “Then you should leave.”

Coby started shaking his head back and forth vigorously. “No! No it won’t work. I’m scared of Alvida! Whenever I think about her reaction I always back out. I’m too scared to.”

Luffy stared, pursing his lips in that way that meant he was deciding something. Ace turned to Coby. “How did you get involved with Alvida anyway? You certainly not willing.”

Coby grimaced. “Two years ago, I was going out fishing and accidentally got on the wrong boat. I became a caretaker to stay alive.”

Ace scoffed and out of the corner of his eye he could see Luffy slightly blanch. Ace looked at Coby bluntly. “You pretty stupid.”

Coby seemed to get a little gloomier. And mumbled under his breath. “I know.”

Luffy smiled. “Your kinda wimpy too. I don’t like you.” Coby hung his head and started laughing sheepishly and despairingly. 

Ace laughed for a whole other reason. Reading the context in Luffy’s words that was so easily overlooked, or not even heard but people who didn’t know him. Plus Luffy’s face as he said it was in such a big contrast to his words, it was hilarious. 

Coby started mumbling. “If only I was brave enough...” Coby turned towards them. “Hey Luffy, Ace? Why are you two sailing?” 

Ace blinked at him before tightening his grip just a tad when Luffy’s arm left him to join the other one in the air, smirking when Luffy proclaimed his dream. “I’m gonna be the pirate king!!”

Coby was gaping. “PIRATE KING!? You’re looking for the one Piece!?!?!”

Luffy leaned against the edge of the boat and smiled wide, laughing. Coby was left breathless and numbly turned to look over Luffy’s shoulder at Ace. “And you?”

Ace smirked, minutely tightening his arms on Luffy’s neck. “I’ll be a great pirate someday! One of the best! And I’ll write a story of every adventure me and Luffy go through!!”

Coby started at the smiling brother’s, looking back and forth between their faces. 

“ARE YOU TWO TRYING TO GET YOURSELVES KILLED?!?!” Coby roared taking a step closer to Luffy. “Becoming the Pirate king is impossible! Becoming the pirate king in the pirate era!? There’s no chance! Becoming the pirate king is literally impossible!!” 

Ace stared at Coby as he ranted about the impossibility of Luffy’s dream with annoyance. He felt his brother’s shoulders tense under his shoulders even if it didn’t outwardly show on Luffy’s face. 

Luffy stayed where he was long enough for Ace to release his shoulders and land on his feet on the ground behind him before he moved. He punched Coby on the head sending him to the ground and shutting him up. 

“Why’d you punch me?!” Coby whined. 

Luffy stood with his fist stretched out and his hand on his hip. “Because you’re annoying.”

Coby sat up and that same cowardly sheepish look sketched itself back onto his face. “Eh. That’s fine I’m used to it.” 

Luffy ignored him and put a hand on his Strawhat. Ace looked at his brother and leaned against his pole. “I know I could die.”

Coby turned to Luffy and listened. He felt as if Luffy’s words were pivotal to hear. “I know I could die and I’m not afraid of that! It’s my dream! And that’s Ace’s dream.” The two brother connected eyes and they smiled. 

Ace smiled and looked to Coby. “We aren’t afraid to fight for our dream. We’re not afraid of the pain or dying.”

Luffy nodded. Before commenting offhandedly. “Besides I think we can do it, although it’ll probably get pretty tough.”

Coby stared at Luffy, doing the same to Ace before turning back to Luffy. He whispered. “Not..afraid. Wouldn’t..even mind..death?..!”

Luffy turned to look at Coby, seeing him still staring he turned to Ace. “What’s with him?” 

Ace rolled his eyes and shrugged. “I don’t know.”

They both turned to Coby when the boy suddenly spoke up. “D-do you think..I could accomplish my dream? To become a marine..?”

Ace’s eyebrows met his hairline. This guy. A marine. 

“A marine?” Ace glanced at his older brother to see Luffy staring at Coby a little blankly. 

Coby suddenly seemed to snap and words came spilling out of his mouth as the pink haired boy cried. “I know it’d mean we’d be enemies!! But joining the marines!! Catching the bag guys!! That’s always been my dream!!” He stood up and took a step forward. “Do you think I could do that, to accomplish my dream, if I was willing to die for it?!”

Luffy smiled, “I wouldn’t know.” Coby didn’t seem to be paying too much attention. 

“I want to at least try! I’d rather die trying to get out of here and be a marine than living the rest of my life out here, afraid of everything, and being a petty caretaker to survive!! If I became a marine I’d be able to arrest people like Alvida!”

Luffy and Ace suddenly tensed, Ace leaning his pipe on his shoulder and moving closer to Luffy, as they heard a heavy footfall before something crashed behind Coby, and onto the boat. 

Coby whirled around and his eyes watched the destruction. Feeling something break inside. He heard Alvida scream something and he listened dully out of instinct of survival. 

“JUST WHO are you going to arrest Coby!!?!!”

His voice was weak and small as he mumbled, “M-My...b..oat..”

Alvida laughed. “Do you think you can escape from me Coby?” She laughed and spoke as if he was stupid and everything he had said was the funniest thing in the world. 

Coby didn’t say anything, but Ace glanced at his face. Coby was crying. And ace knew why. Almost immediately after the boy found the resolution to fulfill his dream, the only means he has to try and do so is shattered. 

Ace glanced up at his brother and smirked at he other’s expression. Outward Luffy’s expression hadn’t changed much, but Ace could tell. Luffy was mad. 

Alvida pointed at Luffy and Ace and laughed. “Are this the dolt you hired to capture me!? How pathetic! The guy even brung a kid along with him! And besides He’s definitely not Zoro Roronoa.” She looked back at Coby, ignoring the growl Ace gave at being called a kid. “Either way before you die, Coby, tell me..who’s the most beautiful woman in the sea?”

Coby looked to her and that same nervous coward’s look crossed his face. “Uh-uh-“

Luffy glanced at Coby before locking eyes with Ace, who just smirked in response, backing up a little. Luffy nodded to the younger before turning back to Coby, and pointing to Alvida, “Hey! Coby, who’s this ugly woman?” 

Everyone in the vicinity, besides Ace, gaped at the rubber boy. “LUFFY!”

The men behind Alvida grit their teeth. “That kid dares to-!”

Coby glanced at them before grabbing Luffy’s shoulders in a panic. “LUFFY quick repeat after me! Alvida is the.. is the..” Coby looked into Luffy’s eyes for a moment and watched as a smile slowly stretched onto the raven’s face. He took a deep breath. “Is the UGLIEST AND THE RUDEST DAMN BUTCH IN ALL THE SEAS!!” 

A looming shadow covered them and Coby looked up terrified. Instantly regretting his choice. Luffy laughed. 

Alvida growled, before roaring. “YOU LITTLE BRAT!!!!!!!”

Coby screamed and Luffy shifted forward, shoving the pink haired boy behind him. “Well said Coby, now stay behind me.”

“L-Luffy?” Coby looked up at Luffy from behind the teen, amazed that this guy was coming to his aid against someone like Alvida. 

Alvida wasn’t amazed. She was far from it. “Both of you! Die!!” She slammed her spiked iron mace onto Luffy’s head, which moved down at the force. 

There was a small moment where no one moved. Coby gasped and covered his mouth with his hands. Alvida smirked because she thought the boy was about to drop dead. 

Ace smirked for a completely different reason. 

Alvida was about to laugh but froze when Luffy spoke. “Haha this is useless against me! My body is rubber!”

Alvida started to sweat and gasped out a scream of words. “IMPOSSIBLE!!”

Once again the others, besides Ace gaped as Luffy stretched his arm backwards, gearing up his attack. 

“Huh!?”

“Gomu Gomu no pistol!” Alvida’s head turned at the punch and she was sent flying backwards. Her men moving out of the way as she landed where they had been standing. 

Her men broke out into whispers and commotion, them being unsure of what to do. Ace smirked and settled his pipe back on the ground to lean on. 

Luffy smirked and pointed to them. “Prepare a boat for Coby! He wants to join the marines so stay outta his way!”

Coby looked to Luffy in a disbelieving adoration, as tears of great fullness fell from his eyes. “L..Luffy..”

Luffy laughed. 

When the boat was ready all three of them got on and sailed away from that island and the Alvida pirates. 

Ace watched Coby state at Luffy, before he took pity on the boy and spoke up since Luffy was too busy sitting on the edge of the boat watching the waves. “Yes he really ate the Gomu Gomu fruit. And yes he really is made of rubber.” 

Coby looked to the younger and breathed out a heavy breath in disbelief. “That’s a little-“

Ace tilted his head with an almost annoyed and bored look on his face. “Annoying? Useless? Stupid?”

Coby’s face twisted into exasperation and confusion. “I was going to say..surprising.”

Ace shrugged. Coby snorted and looked over to Luffy. “Hey Luffy? If your looking for the one Piece does that mean your going to go to the..Grand Line?”

Luffy spoke without even moving. “Yep!”

Coby spoke exasperated and a little worried, and like before which seems to become the usual with the pink haired boy, disbelieving. “But the Grand Line is known as the pirate’s graveyard!”

Luffy looked back to the boy. “That’s why me and Ace got to gather a strong crew!” Luffy hummed before pointing at Coby. “And one of them is being held where you’re going!”

Ace looked to his brother with a raised eyebrow, having not heard about Luffy already choosing a crewmate yet. 

Coby blinked before stuttering. “Y-you mean Zoro Roronoa?”

Luffy smiled wide. “If he’s a good guy I’m gonna ask him to join us!” Ace sighed and slumped against the side of the ship. 

“You gonna let me help, Luffy?” Luffy looked to his younger brother and they connected eyes for a minute. Luffy smiled again and nodded. 

Ace just rolled his eyes. Luffy turned to look at Coby when the boy started screaming again. “What!? You’re being unrealistic again! You can’t he’s like a monster!”

Ace grunted and side eyed the pink haired boy. “We don’t know about that, yet.”

Coby threw his head up and screamed. “It’ll never work!!!!”

—(xXx)—

“So who exactly is this Zoro guy?”

Coby turned to Ace with a slightly wide eyed stare. “How do you not know who Roronoa Zoro is!?”

Ace shrugged with a dull look on his face. “We only set off earlier in the week. Back home we really didn’t hear much about anything that wasn’t on our island.”

Coby blew out a breath in exasperation and leaned back against the dinghy boat’s wall, answering as Luffy glanced back at them from his spot on the edge of the helm. “He’s a monster.-“

Luffy cut him off with a slight frown on his face, though he didn’t look upset. “A monster huh?”

Coby nodded his eyes shifting to the older. “Yes. He’s know as the demon pirate hunter. There’s a rumor that he roams the seas like a bloodthirsty rabid dog, a monster in the form of a man, hunting down fugitives.” Luffy hummed while Coby started to wave his hands back in forth in a negative manner. “So..uh lets drop the idea of you recruiting him, Luffy, Ace....”

Ace snorted and rolled his eyes, making Coby’s gaze shift over to him before returning to Luffy. 

Luffy spun around in his seat, putting a hand on his hip, smiling. “I haven’t made my mind up yet! But if he’s a good person I’m making him apart of my crew!”

“He was arrested!! He’s obviously not!!” Coby roared out towards the rubber teen. 

Luffy started to laugh. 

Ace smirked at Coby’s frustration and a second later, joined his brother in laughter. 

—(xXx)—

“Good job Coby. You actually got us to the Marine base.” 

Coby looked at Ace with exasperation. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Ace just smirked at him before grabbing his pipe and hoping out of the dinghy. 

Once on land Luffy threw his hands up with a huge smile on his face. “Yes! We’re finally here! You’re great Coby!!”

Coby blinked and raised an eyebrow before shaking his head and watching the two raven haired boys, seeing what they’d decide to do. 

Ace and Luffy looked at each other before smiling, saying at the same time. “Let’s find some food!”

—(xXx)—

“I guess we’ll be seeing you Coby.” Ace spoke with a smirk after he and Luffy finished devouring over half the little tavern’s food supply. 

Luffy nodded and smiled. “Yea we’ll go our separate ways here. You become a great marine ok?” 

Coby bit his lip as he teared up. Nodding, “You two...Thank you so much!! Although we’ll be enemies in the future, both of you, have to become great pirates too!”

Ace and Luffy smiled at him before a contemplative look crossed Luffy’s face making Ace look up at his brother in curiosity. “Luffy?”

The older teen blinked at his little brother before leaning his head on his arm. “I wonder if Zoro’s still in the base..”

There was a sudden load clatter as everyone in the tavern that were locals flinched violently. Plates falling and shattering, chairs being turned over, and each one of them suddenly sporting fearful looks on their faces, effectively drawing the three’s attention. 

Ace hummed a bit, his eyes still on the locals. “Looks like that may be a yes.” 

Coby suddenly turned away from the sight to whisper to the two of them. “Maybe it’s not a good idea to go mentioning his name so openly.” 

Luffy had that slight frown on his face again as he leaned against the table. He hummed. 

Coby leaned back, having leaned forward over the table as he whispered, and decided to change the topic. Who knows it might just help the locals calm down a bit. “Ah. I saw a flyer outside. There’s a Lieutenant Morgan stationed at the base-“

The whole tavern flinched again, once again making the three turn and watch. This time the locals got out of their seats and pressed themselves up against the far wall, as far as they could get from the three. 

Ace raised an eyebrow. “Uhh maybe it’s a good time to leave right about now.”

—(xXx)—

“That was a funny restaurant!!” Luffy held his stomach as he laughed hard. As they walked down the road, towards the marine base. 

Coby made a confused sound in the back of his throat. “It doesn’t make any since. I would understand their reaction to Zoro’s name, but to react like that because of the Lieutenant too, it’s strange and confusing..”

Ace grunted carrying his pipe across his shoulders, his hands hooked over it, bent at the wrists. “So... Morgan probably did something bad too.”

Coby turned to him. “That’s impossible!” 

Luffy smiled and shook his head. “No it’s not!” Coby have him a disbelieving stare. “Really. I’m serious.”

Ace stopped and tugged on Luffy’s shirt when the older didn’t stop with him. Luffy looked back at him, making Coby look as well. Ace huffed. “You two were so caught up in each other, you didn’t even notice.”

Coby, blushing a little at the way it sounded, stammered out. “W-what.”

Ace sighed and pointed ahead of them with his pipe. “We’re here.”

They both turned to look in front of them to see the Marine base. Luffy scrunched up his nose, “Its pretty ugly up close.” He turned to the pink haired boy and smiled. “Well, go ahead Coby.”

Coby started to sweat a little. “Uh..I’m not prepared yet.” 

Ace huffed and walked around them as they talked, walking up to the wall and climbing up to the edge to look over it. 

Luffy noticed, ignoring Coby, and quickly joined his brother. Ignoring the shout of exasperation in the form of his name behind him. 

Ace was watching something with a titled head through half lidded eyes, as his brother jabbered on beside him, holding a hand over his eyes to block out the sun. “A monster huh? Monster monster. I wonder where he is.”

Ace snorted and touched his brother’s arm before pointing to what he was staring at, before calling down to Coby, who stood at the bottom of the wall looking up at them. “Hey Coby! What does Roronoa Zoro look like?”

Coby blinked before answering. “U-Uh he wears a black bandana on his head and a green sash around his waist.”

Ace hummed and looked back at the figure, as Luffy’s face stretched into a grin. “Then we just found him pretty easily.” 

Coby’s face paled and he started to sweat. “R-really!?” Coby climbed the wall with more difficulty than Luffy and Ace had done so with, but joined them on the wall as quickly as he could on the other side of Ace. 

At seeing the figure he paled considerably and accidentally let go of the wall in fear. Both ravens looked down at him. Ace blinked before asking in an off handed manner, “You alright Coby?”

Coby shakily nodded and stammered out, “T-that’s h-him. That’s R-Roronoa Z-Z-Zoro.”

Luffy smiled and looked back over at the apparent Pirate Hunter. Ace looked at his brother long and hard before following his brother’s gaze. 

The Pirate Hunter was tied up by his arms to a cross, and really did look worse for wear. He was panting and just staring ahead with a slight glare on his face. 

Luffy hummed and he glanced at his brother out of the corner of his eye. “Hmm, those ropes don’t look like they’d be to hard to undo.”

Ace opened his mouth to tell his brother to make him mind up, but was cut off by Coby as the pink haired boy suddenly yelled. “Don’t joke around!! You can’t free him!! He’ll kill you two and destroy the town!!-“

A yell suddenly cut off the boy’s rant and he paled considerably. Ace ignored it for the moment and whacked Coby in the head with his pipe for interrupting him earlier, before turning to Zoro, the one who yelled. 

“Hey! You three!” Once he had their attention, even if he wasn’t looking at them, he was adamantly starring at the ground, he continued, “You should get out of here, before a marine spots you.”

Coby blinked, taken-aback, “Huh..?”

Ace smirked. Luffy smiled. “Hm not yet! I’m trying to decide!”

Zoro finally glanced up at them. “Decide what..?” 

Luffy opened his mouth but closed it when a wooden ladder clattered beside him as it hit the wall. The three watched as a little girl with short pigtails and a small cloth wrapped package, climbed up the ladder. Once she got to the top she turned to them and hissed out a short and firm shushing sound with a finger over her lips before climbing over the wall. 

Ace raised and eyebrow and folded his arms on top of the wall before laying his head on them. Luffy glanced at him for a moment before watching what was about to happen. 

The girl took two steps forward towards Zoro, before Coby yelled out, looking frantically over at Luffy and Ace. “One of you stop her! She’s gonna be killed by him!”

Ace huffed and whacked Coby on the head with his pipe again. “Do it yourself or shut up and watch.” 

Coby rubbed his head where the pipe connected and turned to Luffy hoping the other would go save the girl, only to see Luffy watching the Pirate Hunter and little girl adamantly. He sighed in defeat and turned to watch as well. 

She looked a little nervous as she unwrapped her little package, walking up to Zoro with no fear whatsoever, even smiling at him. “Um mister. I made some rise balls for you! You haven’t eaten in a while right?”

Zoro grumbled. “I’m not hungry kid now scram.”

She suddenly bent her head down a bit, smiling a little sheepishly. “It’s my first time making rice balls, but-“

Zoro cut her off. “Do you have a death wish kid!? I said I don’t want it now leave!”

She opened her mouth to speak again, but was cut off by a yell. “Roronoa Zoro! Don’t pick on little kids. Or else my daddy will hear about it.”

They turned to see a lean man with a awkward yellow bowl cut and dressed in a suit enter the court yard with two marine guards behind him. He had a smug look on his face and walked up to Zoro like he owned the ground they stood on. 

“Looks like a weirdo came.”

Ace hummed, agreeing with his brother’s statement. 

Coby sighed in relief. “Good. He must be someone in the marines. The girl will be safe now.”

Zoro scoffed. “Hello to you too, bastard son of the lieutenant.”

The blond sneered and leaned closer to Zoro as if to hear him better. “Bastard? Don’t get so cocky! My dads the marine lieutenant here! He can have you killed!”

Ace found himself growling as the blonde turned on the girl. 

Luffy shifted beside him and bumped their elbows together. Ace’s eyes instantly snapped up to his brother’s face to see the older just as tense with a frown on his face. 

Ace blew out a calculated breath and turned back to the others in the court field. The girl look scared as the blond leaned over to her with a sneer. “Those look like tasty rice balls.” 

She cried out as he snatched one of them and tossed it into his mouth. Only to gag a moment latter and spit it out in front of her. “That’s disgusting!! Don’t you know your supposed to put salt in them!? You put in sugar! You stupid little girl!”

She stammered out, terrified, in a small voice “B-but I thought they would taste better if they were sweet..”

Luffy’s ear twitched as Coby muttered out a weak, “That’s cruel.”

He growled at her before knocking the other rice ball out of her hands making it land on the ground. She cried out and fell to her knees trying to salvage it but before she could touch them. The blond’s foot came down on it. 

“Ah!! Stop it stop it!! He can’t eat this anymore like that!!” The blond ignored her and continued to pound the rice balls into the ground. He stopped and laughed as she stared at the crushed and dirty remains of the food she made. 

“Haha, don’t worry I’m sure the ants will eat it.”

She sniffles and tears started to leak from her eyes. “That’s mean. I tried so hard to make them..”

The blond sighed in disgust, and grumbled. “Ugh. No wonder I hate brats so much.” He leaned over her and scoffed, shaking his head in reprimanding. “It’s your own fault you know! Didn’t you see the sign? ‘Anyone who helps an in-prisoned will be charged with the same crime.” He held her chin and forced her to look at him. “That means if you were an adult you’d be facing a death penalty.”

He scoffed pushing her face away from him as he pointed to one of the other marine guards. “You! Through this girl over the wall.”

The marine looked startled. “S-sir?” 

The blonde gave him a look like he was dumbest person he ever met. “Did I stutter? I said throw her out! Or are you trying to disobey me?! Because I can easily tell daddy!”

The marine shook his head vigorously and steeped forward. “No-no sir I’ll do it.”

He picked the little girl up by her armpits and he whispered to her as she looked up to him fearfully. “Sorry. Tuck yourself into a ball, it’ll hurt less.”

She whimpered as he through her, doing as the man suggested. 

He three hanging on the wall looked a little panicked and startled. Ace hooked his pipe on the wall and reached for her, seeing his arm she reached out to it, but she wasn’t close enough and instead sailed over his head. Luffy acted quickly and jumped up catching her and wrapping his body around her as they fell, skidding a little along the ground. 

Immediately the other two released the wall and was at their sides. Coby helped the girl up and Ace stood in front of his older brother as Luffy stood and brushed himself off. 

They looked at each other for a moment, before turning to glance back at the wall, hearing voices. 

“I have to admit Roronoa I didn’t think you’d have this much endurance.” The blonds voice started to grate on their ears. 

The slightly gruff voice of Zoro followed. “You better keep your promise.”

“Yes Yes. You stay like this for a month and I’ll release you.” The blond laughed. “Well good luck.”

There was the sound of a gate opening and closing and Luffy and Ace looked at each other before climbing back over the wall. 

Luffy didn’t stop and climbed over it while Ace decided to sit on the wall and watch his brother meet the guy who would possibly become a crewmate. Honestly, he was starting to like this Zoro guy. 

Luffy walked up to Zoro and only when the teen stopped in front of him did the Pirate Hunter open his eyes. “You’re still here? Leave! Before they see you!”

Luffy hummed and smiled. “I’m looking for someone to join my pirate crew!”

Zoro scoffed and seemed to slump a bit more in his bindings, even if it was impossible. “So you gave up on life and decided to become a criminal?”

Luffy snapped forward a step and gained a more serious look to his face. “It’s my dream! There is nothing wrong with becoming a pirate!”

Zoro smirked tiredly, “Oh yea, so what are you gonna do? Set me loose and force me to join you?”

Luffy smiled slightly and put his hand on his hat. “I haven’t decided yet.” Zoro scoffed and shook his head. “You know everyone thinks you’re a bad guy.”

Ace’s eyes sharpened a tad as he spotted the Pirate Hunter give a minuscule wince, no doubt his brother spotted it too. 

“A bad guy huh?...It doesn’t matter. I’ll never join you. Because I have something I need to do instead.” He titled his head a bit. “I need your help anyways. Its just a month. I’ll survive that no problem, and that bastard kid’ll let me go afterwords. I’ll do whatever it takes to fulfill me dream. And whatever you ‘decide’ isn’t going to stop me.”

Luffy smiled. “..Really. If I were you I think I’d starve to death in a week.”

Zoro snorted. “That’s why were different. Go find someone else to join your little crew.” 

Luffy smiled and turned to walk away. Him and Ace connected eyes and Ace gave his brother a confused look. It was at times like this that he wished his brother was a tad easier to read. 

Ace snapped his head up to Zoro when then man spoke to Luffy, who turned to look over his shoulder at the man. “Hold on!”

When he saw Luffy stop he gestured to the crushed and dirty rice balls. “Can you pick that up for me?”

Luffy looked confused but picked it up anyways. “Now give it to me.” 

Luffy’s face turned surprised. “You really want eat this? But it’s all muddy-“

“Just shut up and give it to me. All of it.” Luffy rubbed the back of his neck but complied. 

Zoro grimaced as he forced himself to swallow it. Luffy muttered, “You trying to kill yourself or something?”

Zoro ignored her and coughed as he forced his words out. “T-tell that little girl...’The rice balls were good. Thank you.’”

Luffy blinked before smiling wide, giggling. 

He turned quickly and vaulted himself over the wall. Ace glanced at his brother for a quick moment before looking back to Zoro. The Pirate Hunter was panting and had his eyes closed, but evidently felt Ace’s gaze on him, because a moment later the bound man looked up and connected eyes with Ace. 

Zoro didn’t know what it was, but it seemed like the child was judging him, not like he was normally judged by his looks or attitude, but actually judging him at the roots of his being. It was a little unnerving but he refused to look away. 

A second later a smirk curled on Ace’s lips and he disappeared behind the wall. 

Landing in his feet beside his brother who was watching him curiously. “Ace?”

Ace looked up to his brother and slung his pipe onto his shoulder, smirking. “I think I’ll stay here.” 

Luffy looked at him for a moment before smiling. It looked like Ace had decided for himself, about Zoro. 

Luffy nodded and ruffled Ace’s hair, who grumbled and playfully swatted Luffy’s hand away. Luffy laughed and Ace made a shooing motion. “Go on. Go find Coby and be sure to give that little girl his message.”

Luffy nodded with a grunt and turned before took off. Ace watched him go before turning back around to the wall. Easily scaling it and landing softly on the other side. 

Pipe in hand he walked over to Zoro’s bound form, the Pirate hunter’s eyes watching him as he did so. 

“What are you doing? Why didn’t you leave?”

Ace rolled his eyes and dropped down beside Zoro, under one of his bound arms, leaning against the wooden cross. “You ask a lot of questions. What does it look like I’m doing? I’m sitting down.”

Zoro snorted in mild annoyance. “I can see that. I want to know why.”

Ace turned his head to look up at Zoro’s face. “Because Luffy may not have decided but I have.”

Zoro raised an eyebrow. “Oh, and what did you decide?”

Ace smirked, speaking as he turned away leaning back against the wooden cross and closing his eyes, letting his hands rest on his pipe. “That you’re my Nakama now, and I won’t leave my Nakama vulnerable.” He made a point not to say something else like ‘weak’ or ‘in danger’. He could tell already that Zoro probably had a decent amount of pride decorating his heart. 

Zoro gaped a tad at the boy’s audacity, the boy deciding that himself without Zoro’s consent at all. “I’m not gonna be a pirate.”

Ace snorted. “I didn’t say you were. Nor am I trying to make you, that’s Luffy’s job. I just said you’re my Nakama.” 

He sighed and a thought came to mind. He grunted, “What about the other one?” 

Ace smirked answering without opening his eyes. “He’ll be back.”

Zoro glanced down at the boy’s head. “And how do you now that?”

Ace opened his eyes and glanced up at the sky, “Because I know Luffy.”

—(xXx)—

Ace opened his eyes and looked to the wall, a second before Luffy climbed over it. 

Zoro looked up and grumbled when he saw who it was. Watching Luffy as he walked over to them. “Why’d you come back? I told you I’m not gonna be a pirate.” Luffy ignored him and leaned closer to his face. 

Ace watched in amusement. It was about time. 

Luffy smiled. “Yo! If I loosen the ropes you’re gonna join us ok?!”

Zoro growled. “I told you, I already have something I need to do. Besides I’m not going to be a bad guy crook.”

Ace rolled his eyes. “Everyone already thinks you’re a bad guy it wouldn’t make much difference.-“

Zoro cut him off, “I don’t care what they think of me. I haven’t done one thing I’ve regretted, I’m not going to start now!”

Ace looked up at Zoro from his spot on the dirt with a blank expression. Zoro turned away and faced Luffy. “I won’t be a pirate.” 

Luffy straightened up and slapped his fist into his palm. “I don’t care! You’re going to join us!” 

Zoro growled again and roared. “Don’t go deciding that by yourself!!”

Ace chucked. “You’ll get used to it.”

Luffy suddenly whirled back around and faced Zoro. “Hey! You use swords right?”

Zoro hummed and raised an eyebrow. “Yea. What’s that got to do with anything?”

Luffy made a show of looking at Zoro’s form before scratching his head. “I don’t see any swords..”

Ace rolled his eyes and turned to look at his brother. “The marines most likely took it Luffy.”

Luffy glanced at his brother before nodding. “Oh yea.”

Zoro looked at both of them before confirming. “They did. That bastard kid took ‘em. That sword is something I treasure alongside my life. .”

Luffy gasped and put his hands on his hips, smiling. “Treasure Huh? It must be something great!” Luffy nodded determined and resolute. “Okay. I’ll go get your sword!”

Zoro gaped a little at him, while Ace turned and raised an eyebrow, just before Luffy continued. “But if you want it back you’ll have to join me!”

Zoro gaped and roared. “THATS DIRTY!” 

Ace blinked and muttered under his breath. “That’s blackmail...when’d Luffy figure out how to do that?” 

Luffy ignored Zoro’s glare and looked to his little brother. “You stay with Zoro Ace, I’ll be back.” Ace nodded and Luffy took off towards the marine’s building. 

Zoro and Ace watched him go before the swordsman spoke up. “Is he crazy? He’s really planning on sneaking into the Marine base?”

Ace snorted. “Of course he is. Besides crazy doesn’t even begin to describe Luffy.”

Zoro glanced down at the boy. “Oh yea?...hey how’d you end up with someone like him anyway?”

Ace smiled up at him. “He’s my brother.”

Zoro snapped a little wide in disbelief, he stared for a moment before shaking his head. “Oh course you are.”

Ace smile fell and he raised an eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Zoro shook his head. “Nothing, just that this day has been really unpredictable.”

Ace smirked. “It’s practically Luffy’s code to be unpredictable.”

Zoro snorted in exasperation. “I’m starting to see that.” Ace smirked before standing, his pipe sling over his shoulder. 

The raven hummed. “It’s about to get a lot less boring here.” Zoro looked at the back of the boy’s head as the younger faced toward the Marine base, in the direction his brother disappeared to. 

He had a feeling the boy wasn’t exactly wrong. 

They both heard a thump and turned to look towards the wall. Coby was in an ungrateful heap at the bottom and was scrambling to stand and make it over to them. “Ace! This is where you were? Where’s Luffy?”

Ace blinked before snorting watching Coby come closer. “In the Marine base. He had to get something.” 

Coby groaned and shook his head. “Hot headed.” 

He then looked to Zoro and went up The the swordsmans bound arms, earning a raised eyebrow from the two others. “Coby? What are you doing?” Ace shifted his pipe thumping against the ground as he shifted it. 

Coby turned to look at Ace exasperatedly. “I’m untying him.”

Zoro grunted. “If you do that their going to kill you.”

Coby grit his teeth, trying harder to untie the ropes only to ultimately be unsuccessful in getting them any looser than before. “You didn’t deserve to be arrested. I can’t stand these kind of marines.” Coby looked at Ace with a look of angry determination. “This isn’t the kind of Marine I want to be! I’ll be a real marine! Worthy of catching you and your pirate king brother in the future!”

Zoro’ eyes snapped wide and he sputtered for a moment. “P-pirate king..?! Your kidding.” He was mumbling so the other two ignored him for the moment as Ace smirked at Coby.   
“Well look forward to it Coby. But you’ll have to get pretty strong if you even want a chance!”

Coby smiled at Ace, turning back to work fruitlessly at the ropes. “I know.”

Zoro dragged himself out of his surprises state. “Hey are you serious?” He turned to Ace, “Your brother wants to be the Pirate King?”

Ace smirked at Zoro, nodding, “He doesn’t just want to be, he will be.” He said it with so much confidence that it left Zoro at a loss for words. 

Coby snorted, before chuckling, “I was surprised too when I first heard them, but he’s serious.” 

Zoro looked at the pink haired boy and sighed. “What kind of people are trying to recruit me?” 

Ace laughed. 

His laughter died off though as he heard a bang, instantly recognizing the sound for what it was. His eyes widened and he lunged forward, but he was too late. The bullet went through Coby’s shoulder, making his glasses fly off, he stumbled backwards and fell. “Coby!”

As he went to Coby’s side Zoro looked over his shoulder towards the top of the Marine base and glared at the cold angry eyes looking down at them. 

The swordsman called out to Ace when he saw the gun being readied again. “Ace!”

A second later several more shots were heard and Ace shot up, standing in front of Coby protectively he held his pipe out in front of him twirling it around fast enough that the bullets left noting but sparks as they ricocheted off the metal. 

One of the bullets managed to get past and Ace titled his head to the side, with a grimace, as a stinging cut sliced into his cheek. 

He continued to twirl his pipe until the gunfire stopped, the marine needing time to reload. 

Zoro glanced around a bit frantically, before looking to the two boys in slight worry. 

He took in Coby’s dazed form still laying on the ground and groaning in pair, and Ace standing defiantly in front of the pink haired boy, his pipe at the ready. 

Ace was lucky the first time, the bullet that got by only gazed his cheek, which was leaking blood down his chin, but he might not be as lucky the second time. 

And there was no where to cover them from the gunfire when the Marine takes aim again. 

Zoro grit his teeth and growled in anger. 

And there was nothing he could do to stop it, the ropes being tied too secure for him to just break with brute strength alone. 

He growled as he heard a gun cock from somewhere above them. Ace must have heard it as well because Zoro tracked the movements in his arms as they tensed, and his hands as they tightened around the pipe. 

That Luffy kid better hurry it up.

\----(xXx)----

Zoro grit his teeth and turned to Ace, who had a few more grazes on his body from bullets that managed to get past his defense. 

Coby had tried to get up before, but Ace had growled at him to stay down. The only reason being because if he didn’t the marine would start firing at not only Ace, but Coby too. 

They thought Coby was dead because the boy fell when he was shot. Ace was still standing, so they where still trying to fire. 

Ace, realizing what had been going on, had moved further away from Zoro and Coby. In a feeble attempt to keep them from being hit by stray bullets. 

Zoro knew this was getting more than a little ridiculous and out of hand, but there was literally nothing he could do about it. Where the heck was this kid’s brother?! “Kid! Just run, get out of here.”

Ace grunted, a look of determined anger on his face. “Not happening. They might think Coby’s dead, but I know he’s not. I can’t just leave him here. And I’m not leaving you here either.” Ace glanced out of the corner of his eye as he said it, connecting his eyes with Zoro. 

Zoro stared for a second before tensing, turning to look over his shoulder as he heard the heavy pounding of several pairs of feet. 

Zoro turned back around and looked at the two younger boys. “Just get out of here.” He looked at Ace as the boy winced, moving slightly wrong and twinging a slice in his leg. At least the marine had stopped firing and left his perch for now. “Take the other kid and leave. They’re coming.”

Ace growled lightly and shook his head negatively. Zoro growled in response as Coby spoke up. “No! We’ve got to free you!”

Zoro snorted in an urgent exasperation. “You don’t have to worry about that! I’ll be set free in a month. Just hurry and leave-“

Ace glanced at the pink haired boy as he cut Zoro off, discreetly leaning on his pipe. He wasn’t exhausted no, but he did have wounds from bullets that grazed him on each of his legs and arms, his torso and the one on his cheek. They didn’t hurt too badly, they were just grazes after all, but he was starting to feel a bit tired from being on the constant defense. Afterall some of the bandits training, against firearms, only went so far. 

Coby yelled cutting the swordsman’s words short. “They won’t let you go!! They plan to execute you in three days!” 

Ace’s face adopted a hard look, and his body stilled, tense, as he snapped his head over to Coby. 

Zoro looked disbelieving as he shouted back, a tad desperate, but his voice filled with anger. “What are you talking about?! That bastard promised that if I survived a month they’d set me loose!..” he trailed off, a look of anger overtaking his face. 

What was he saying? These were marines he was talking about!...Though he didn’t think they’d be such cowards to break a promise like that. 

He really didn’t have much interaction with marines. Since he set out on his own all he’d really been doing was wandering and looking for fights with other swordsman as he looked for Dracule Mihawk, the strongest swordsman in the world. 

He just happened to be labeled a bounty hunter because of witnesses of his fights telling the marines, when he was long gone, that the defeated opponents, that happened to be criminals, where caught by him. 

He never even turned one bounty in himself. He was labeled that though and he saw no reason to try and correct it. He didn’t care what they thought of him as long as he accomplished his dream. 

He heard stories though. Of how corrupt the marines had become. He didn’t take rumor as fact though and didn’t really care much. If he ran into them he’d form his own opinion, that hadn’t happened till he ran into Lieutenant Morgan’s son. 

He thought this in all the span of a second and snapped his focus back to Coby as the boy started talking. “He never intended to keep his promise, that’s why Luffy punched him on your behalf! Because he was just treating you like a toy!” 

Ace smirked at hearing what his brother had done. Proud of his older brother’s actions. Though he should have expect something like that. Luffy was always finding trouble, hearing what the marine bastard was doing to Zoro, and Luffy’s actions because of it, was just icing on the cake. 

Zoro’s face colored with surprise as he stared at Coby. “W-what did you just say?” 

Ace glanced at the swordsman out of the corner of his eye, having his forehead leaning on his pipe since the marine had stopped shooting. He had a feeling Zoro wasn’t asking about the marine’s plan to break the promise part. More of what Luffy did. 

Coby ignored him though and swallowed hard. “The marines will never let you, Luffy, or Ace go off scot-free! So please after you’re set loose take Ace, and rescue Luffy!” 

Zoro’s face settled into a blank calmness as he watched Coby speak. A look of attention, a look that showed he already had decided his own corse of action. Ace looked on a tad curious, having being the only one to catch it. “I won’t force you to be a pirate, but he saved me! If you and Luffy fought together, you’d both be able to leave this town unhindered!”

Ace grunted. “Coby, you don’t need to worry,” he sighed straightening as the footsteps of the marines finally revealed their owners, as they surrounded the field all pointing their guns at the three. “There’s no way this would stop Luffy, or his crew.” 

The marine’s finally stopped moving as they fell into formation, the leader yelling, successfully gaining everyone’s attention. “Stop there!! The three of you have disobeyed Lieutenant Morgan! You are to be executed here!” 

Zoro grit his teeth in anger, growling as he stared at them. Coby yelled in surprise and scrabbled back. Only stopping, and snapping his attention to Ace when the boy walked passed him, pipe ready in his hand. 

Ace stopped in front of them, putting his body in between Zoro and Coby, and the marines. He was smaller, and wouldn’t be able to protect them bodily, but he wasn’t helpless. 

He stared at the leader in an anger fueled determination. 

The marines separated slightly showing the Lieutenant as the blond man barked orders to the petty officers around him. “Surround the base! Don’t let the brat with the Strawhat get away!” 

Ace had to pause a minute at the man’s appearance. He was used to strange sights but this guy’s look was something new. A metal jaw, and a hand replaced with an axe, deforming his arm in a bit of a disgusting proportion. 

Lieutenant Morgan then turned his head to glare at the three in the execution yard. “It’s interesting. You three trying to cause a political upheaval.” 

He then shifted his eyes to Zoro. “Roronoa Zoro. I heard your name and reputation a long time ago. Though compared to me you’re just garbage.”

Ace growled and Zoro’s annoyed eyes snapped from Morgan to the raven’s back. 

Ace snorted in disgust. “You are the Lieutenant? No wonder this town is terrified of you.”

Morgan regarded the boy for a moment, wondering if what the raven was saying, was meant to be an insult or not. But looking at the boy he could see no trace of fear. He smirked. “And why’s that.”

A slow smirk crossed Ace’s face. “Your sense of entitlement is astonishing. The moment that something threatens the image of power you hold of yourself, you’ll react as a toddler does when their toy is taken.” Ace should know, Morgan held the same look in his eyes and an air around him that Bluejam, Sabo’s real dad, and some of Dadan’s bandits had. 

Everyone in the field looked at the boy with wide eyes. The boy had the daring to say something like that to Morgan. 

Coby made a panicked noise behind him and harshly whispered to Ace for him to take it back. Zoro stared at the back of the boy’s head in surprise. The boy tilted his head just a little bit, but it was enough for Zoro to see half the boy’s face as his hair shifted. 

It wasn’t just a desperate attempt to buy time either. The boy’s eyes were cold and hard. He spoke in a confidence learned from experience. 

Zoro eyes snapped back up when he heard Morgan growl in anger, his surprise forcefully pushed away. “Ready your weapons!”

The marines snapped out of it and fumbled for a moment before obeying and pointing their guns at Ace. Ace let a slight smirk cross his face, good they were all pointed at one area. That’d be easier for him. 

He wasn’t a fool though. He knew he wouldn’t be able to deflect all those bullets when they were sent flying, but he would do what he could and besides. He smirked. This way he knew Zoro and Coby wouldn’t get hit first, and he knew Luffy would be on his way. 

Luffy always did seem to have a sixth sense for when Ace needed him. 

Zoro grit his teeth and looked on a tad panicked as they took aim. Locking his eyes onto the one gun pointed straight at his head. He couldn’t die here, he made a promise! He didn’t want Ace to die here either, he was just a kid who had some serious guts! Who went out of his way to make sure Zoro wasn’t alone. Who defended him, despite everything people said the swordsman was. 

Who actually cared. 

Coby let out a whimper of fear, recoiling back. Though when he followed most of the weapons trajectory with his eyes, he surged forward in a yell. “ACE!” 

Morgan yelled again, giving the order that would inevitably take their lives, Ace tensed holding his pipe in front of him, ready to take up his defense. “Fire!”

There was a strange sound that sounded like rubber stretching, alongside the bang of the trigger being pulled. 

Ace started to spin his pipe again, right before they fired. Not picking up the sound immediately, but when he did, he recognized it for what it was and a smirk started to form. 

A split second later his brother was in front of him. Arms outstretched and back sturdy as the bullets slammed into him. 

Coby and Zoro seeing what happened yelled in surprise and Coby started to cry. “Luffy!!” 

Ace had no such reaction of panic and instead just smirked, stopping the rotation of his pipe and holding it at his side. 

The marine’s stopped firing in surprise at the sight of a teen jumping in front of them with a smile to take so many bullets for the three original targets. 

A second later the bullet holes seemed to stretch behind Luffy because of their momentum before his body snapped back to normal. Luffy threw his arms up with a laughing smile as he yelled. “That’s not going to work!”

The marines dove for cover as the bullets their own guns had fired where sent back to them. Luffy laughed loud and hard at the sight. 

Ace sighed in exasperation, a smile playing on his face. “What took you?”

Luffy smiled and looked back at him. “Sorry, sorry. The weird guy didn’t tell me where the swords were until we passed it!”

Ace looked dryly at his brother, only vaguely confused, understanding the majority of Luffy’s statement. He was cut off though as Zoro suddenly yelled at his brother, Coby falling back onto his backside seemingly foaming at the mouth in fear. “Just what kind of human are you!?”

Luffy laughed his usual laugh. Smiling in determination. “I’m the one who’ll be Pirate King!”

Luffy then looked to his brother, hearing Ace thump his pipe against the ground, as Ace leaned his forehead on the end that stood in the air. He took in the various scratches and hummed taking a step forward and pulling a strand of Ace’s hair lightly, on the back of his head. 

Ace snorted and nodded in response, knowing what he brother wanted to know. 

Luffy still slightly worried but satisfied for now turned to Zoro with a smile. Slinging the three swords he was carrying on his back, off him and holding them out to Zoro. 

“Which one’s your treasure? I couldn’t figure it out so I just brung all of them!” Ace snorted and turned back around to watch the marines as they gathered themselves and watched in stunned silence. 

He was only marginally tense as he watched them. As they didn’t raise their weapons to take aim again, yet, and since his brother was here now. 

He knew his brother would do everything in his power to protect his Nakama. Besides Ace wasn’t helpless either. 

Zoro grunted giving Luffy a tad dry look. “They all are mine. I use three katana.” 

Luffy made a slight sound of awe before turning to look at the marines when one of them spoke up. Luffy was instantly tense and at the ready to step up to defend the three others. 

Ace straightened and moved in front of the unconscious Coby, feeling like something was going to happen very soon, and uneasy about leaving the pink haired boy unguarded. 

“Going against the marines, will make you an outlaw!” Shouted one marine in the small crowd before another yelled out, while the others murmured. Questioning how Luffy could deflect their bullets without even a scratch. “Or maybe they just want to die here!”

Zoro growled before smirking and turning to Luffy, who snapped his head towards the bound swordsman when he spoke. “Forget it. Instead of dying here why don’t I accept your request and become a pirate!”

Ace smirked, glancing at the two through the corner of his eye. It was about time. 

—(xXx)—

Luffy threw up his arms, a huge smile on his face as he yelled, “YES!! I have a swordsman!!”

Zoro grunted at his volume before biting out his words. “Yea, yea, now get these ropes off!”

Ace snorted, a smirk on his face as he leaned his pipe against his shoulder, shifting his eyes back towards the marines, slightly paranoid about them acting, being mostly precautious. The marines where murmuring amongst themselves, wondering at this new development, and still in awe from Luffy being able to bounce the bullets back. 

Morgan suddenly yelled at his men. “The brat isn’t normal, he’s probably eaten one of the Devil fruits.”

The other marines started getting fidgety and nervous. Several started yelling amongst themselves. One looked back towards Zoro and Luffy, and Ace tensed as the marine yelled while pointing a finger at his older brother and new crewmate. “Sir! He’s gonna untie Roronoa’s ropes!”

Morgan snapped a response back. “Don’t let them take them off!”

A second later the lackey marines where pulling out swords, yelling how if bullets didn’t work they’d just use swords, and starting to run forward. 

Ace tensed, any trace of a smirk of smile gone from his lips. He could take a swordsman.... but this was a lot. 

He readied his pipe and yelled behind him. “Luffy!” 

Luffy stopped his muttering as he had been while being fixated on Zoro’s ropes, and snapped his head to his little brother. His eyes widened a slight bit in time to see Ace block the swing of the marine at the head of the pack, Ace didn’t falter or strain under the marine’s swing but due to being smaller he was pushed back a step.

Another marine swung at his legs and Ace jumped over the blade, taking another step back as the two tried to converge on him, but Ace tried to hold his ground. Not wanting too many to pass. 

In those few seconds Zoro had yelled at Luffy, telling him to quit joking around and hurry up since it looked like they were about to die. 

As Luffy watched his baby brother try and hold his ground his eyes widened slightly and he rushed forward. Desperate to be of help to him, especially since he saw the other marines heading towards him, no sympathy for a child.   
“Ace!”

A sword started swinging down towards Ace’s head as he blocked two marines’ swords, and Luffy knew that Ace wouldn’t be able to dodge it without being impaled somewhere. A second later he shot his arms forward and wrapped them around Ace’s body, getting a few cuts in the process, and pulled him away from the swarm of marines. 

Ace collided into his chest and as the marines rushed forward, right behind the younger raven. Luffy’s actions where instinctual as he curled his body around Ace as the marines descended towards them. Ace watched wide eyed and fearful at his brother and yelled when he noticed exactly what Luffy was doing. “Luffy!”

But as he braced himself he heard a clang, and didn’t feel the pain he expected to. He glanced up and smiled wide as he saw none other than the previous tied up swordsman. He was using all three swords, one in each hand and one in his mouth, to hold all the other marine’s swords back. 

Luffy laughed out a cool. Ace shifted his eyes from the swordsman to his brother and lightly hit his brother on the shoulder with a fist. “Idiot.”

Zoro glared at the marines. “Move and you die!”

The marines started shaking in their boots and Ace smirked. 

Zoro shifted his eyes to the two raven haired boys and glanced over them, Luffy slowly uncurled from over Ace and stood letting Ace sit on the ground where he had been. The two briefly noticed Coby had woken up and Ace figured that was how Zoro must have gotten out. 

After assuring they were fine Zoro spoke, addressing them. “I said I’d be a pirate with you, but I have goals of my own. Get in the way of them and I’ll cut you open as your apology!”

Ace smirked, Zoro’s determination reminding him of someone else. Luffy tilted his head and smiled. “Ok! But.. what is your dream?”

Zoro seemed to smirk behind the sword in his mouth. “I’m going to be the World’s Greatest Swordsman!”

Luffy laughed and Ace smirked as he rolled his eyes. “AWESOME!! As a future member of the new pirate King’s crew I’d be embarrassed if you’d become anything less!”

Zoro grunted, an adrenaline fueled smile on his face. 

Morgan suddenly snapped, impatient. “What the hell are you guys doing!! Hurry up and kill them!”

Ace stood, a sudden frown on his face, as he was ready to fight again, no doubt the marines would start acting up again now that Morgan had snapped at them. He readied his pipe in his hand and was about to start attacking when he saw Luffy lift his leg out of the corner of his eye and yelled. “ZORO! DUCK!”

Zoro’s eyes widened for a split second before he obeyed, Ace doing the same. “Gomu-Gomu Sweeper!!” Luffy’s leg stretched and nailed the marines in their stomachs, sweeping them backwards to land around Morgan. 

Luffy laughed as his leg retracted. Ace heard Coby let out a sound of awe, and he snorted, remembering all the times when Luffy’s powers only produced funny screw ups... like punching himself in the face...he’d never let Luffy live that one down. 

Zoro stood and watched Luffy as the straw hat-wearing teen smirked and set his foot on the ground. “What is he?”

Ace shrugged and answered for Luffy. “He ate a devil fruit. He’s a rubber man.”

The marines started picking themselves off the ground and one must have overheard because he started yelling in a slight panic to Morgan. “Lieutenant! We can’t defeat them! They’re too strong!”

“Yea, and we definitely can’t take on Zoro!” More words of fear and doubt they they’d die or worse if they tried to face them again rose up and at each comment Morgan’s face got darker until he yelled back at them. Snapping. 

“This is an order! Whoever spoke just now is to execute themselves! I don’t need useless soldiers! It’s an order!” The marines shook in fear and some started to cry as they pulled out their guns and aimed them to their heads. 

Seeing this Zoro, Luffy, and Ace growled and started running towards them. 

Luffy ran towards Morgan and grabbed his hand, a blank mask over his face. “I’m the marines’ worst enemy! If you have the guts to execute me go ahead!”

Zoro stopped where he was seeing the other marines slowly put down their guns as they watched Luffy confront Morgan. Ace hadn’t stopped though and instead went towards the marines who had just had guns at their heads. 

He started weaving through the group using his pipe to nock the guns out of their hands, ignoring their exclamations of surprise, and snatching them up as he passed them. 

As he knocked the last gun from the group of marines hands the ones watching him, most of the marines angry and scadoulized their gun was taken, lost sight of him. 

Next thing Zoro knew the kid appeared at his side, the safety flipped on on each of the guns, as each hung off his pipe. The smaller raven smirked as he tilted his pipe and let them fall in a pile at his feet. “Let’s see you guys try to attack us with these now.” The marines froze and some growled at his words. 

Zoro glanced at the boy through the corner of his eye and smirked slightly. Understanding the hidden reason of why he stole the marines guns. 

He readied his sword as Luffy started attacking Morgan, shifting his attention from the youngest raven to the older. 

Behind them Coby took a deep breath and suddenly yelled. “Luffy defeat these marines!!! Please!!”

Morgan growled, throwing off his coat as Luffy fell into a battle stance. “People with no status have no right to oppose me!” He growled his metal jaw creaking as he grinded it against his teeth, “I'LL CRUSH YOU! My name is Axe-Hand Morgan! No one defies me!”

Luffy had a bland look on his face as he only deemed Morgan with the reply of, “My name is Luffy. Nice to meet you.”

Morgan growled out “Go to hell!” and swung at Luffy, causing the raven to jump over the swing a second later the fence across from Morgan split down the middle, and Coby screamed. 

Ace straightened a tad bit as Zoro shifted his feet, both watching the fight with various degrees of seriousness. While in the air Luffy extended his feet, landing both of his sandals soles into Morgan’s face, Luffy landed on his feet as Morgan blew back from the force. 

The marines watching suddenly yelled out exclamations of surprise at Morgan. “Captain Morgan! He-“

They started murmuring to themselves, making Morgan growl as he got up. “You bastard!”

Morgan yelled as they both shot forward Morgan raising his ax hand above his head for another swing and Luffy running forward for another punch. 

The ground almost vibrated with the force that Morgan landed his ax hand on, but Luffy ignored it as he jumped up a feral smile on his face as he swung his leg around. He chuckled out a rebuttal. “I’m not dead yet!” And nailed the marine captain in the face with his foot a second time. 

Coby felt speechless as he watched. “He’s.. too strong..” 

Ace smirked widely and propped his pipe against his shoulder. Content to watch the fight play out, similarly Zoro kept his swords unsheathed but at the ready to defend if the marines tried to come at them again. He had no doubt that with Ace he’d be able to take all of them out together if they all decided to attack as one again. 

The marines were gobsmacked at the fight between Luffy and Morgan, and could no thing but gape. “Lieutenant Morgan,... is only being kicked around… he can't do anything against him…”

While Morgan was on the ground Luffy grabbed ahold of his shirt and punched him, pulling his hand back again he growled. “Some Marine you are! You destroyed Coby’s dream!” 

He punched him and reeled back his fist again as a voice behind the Pirates yelled out. “Wait!!”

Luffy paused for a split second before throwing his already pulled back Punch, a slight frown on his face as he glanced backwards. 

Ace and Zoro turned at the shout and found themselves practically growling in annoyance. 

“You moron! I told said wait!” Hellmeppo yelled as his legs shook, a gun pointed at Coby’s head. “If you want this one to live no body moves!!”

Coby started stuttering his attention full on Luffy as he yelled. “L-Luffy I don’t want to be a burden to you! I’m not afraid of dying!”

Luffy smiled. “I know.” Luffy glanced to the side as Ace once again used his slightly faster speed than normal to seemingly disappear to the marines. In reality he was only moving faster than a normal kid his age and seemed to disappear when he did so, though both Luffy and Zoro could track him with their eyes. Unaware that the other marines couldn’t see the kid. 

Ace ran behind Hellmeppo as Luffy spoke, not moving from his spot. “Stupid blondie! Coby’s not afraid to die!” 

Luffy smiled wider as Coby sudden yelled in horror seeing Morgan rise behind his again preparing another swing towards Luffy. “Luffy LOOK OUT!!”

Morgan growled darkly. “I am the greatest Marine Lieutenant!”

Zoro gained a darker look on his face as he put his sword in his mouth and Luffy pulled back his arm again aiming for a punch at Hellmeppo. “Gomu Gomu no-“

“Daddy Hurry!!!!!” Hellmeppo yelled as suddenly he was hit in the side with something hard and thrown away from Coby. Coby looked up to see Ace had forced himself between the two, avoiding the consequential gunshot as he hit the blonde by shoving himself and Coby to the ground. 

Hellmeppo yelled at the pain Ace’s pipe caused in his side but didn’t have long to complain as Luffy threw his punch. “-Pistol!”

Luffy’s fist extended and nailed the blonde in the face, sending him flying. Luffy chuckled and acted unaware of Morgan’s ax coming down at his head behind him. 

But a second later Morgan fell back, Blood coming from his mouth as Zoro stood between him and Luffy, his swords in a finishing position at his side’s. Luffy chuckled again. “Zoro.”

Zoro snorted, amused. “Captain.”

Ace smiled slightly as he glanced over at them, yea Zoro would fit in perfectly with them.


End file.
